History of Getxo

El Hotel Artaza y su entorno

Andra Mari Church Getxo

Getxo was built up around Andra Mari Church in the 12th century-,becoming the first urban nucleus inhabited mainly by farmers, shepherds and fishermen. These fishermen built their homes in the upper part of the tiny port of Getxo, turning this area into a small but picturesque spot.

The tiny houses and steep streets, which can only be covered on foot,maintain the ancient character of a village which, like many others in the Basque Country, was also devoted to the harsh seafaring tasks. The boom in seafaring and commercial activity in the port of Bilbao had direct repercussions on the Algorta district, which slowly flourished.

However, it was in the second half of the 19th century when Getxo experienced its period of glory and became a tourist resort, which is what best defines this Bizkaia town today. Foreseeing that this area would become one of the summer resorts for the aristocracy and upper middle classes from the inland provinces and also from Bilbao, chalets and summer houses were built. The village of what is Las Arenas today gradually began to take shape. Neguri came about well into the 20th century, becoming a luxury residential area par excellence. Algorta, which benefited from this expansion, underwent enormous development.

Getxo grew considerably in the middle of the 20th century and went from 19,000 inhabitants in the 1950s to 85,000 in 1996. As a result of this growth, Getxo had to adapt its services to meet the demands of not only the people from Getxo, but also those from nearby municipalities.

Nowadays, Getxo boasts excellent services in the fields of culture or sport, among many others, and is an ideal place to practice any kind of sport and is a leading venue for any cultural event throughout the year.